What a product submittal actually does

A submittal is not a brochure. It is the record that says: this is exactly what will be manufactured, installed and handed over. Consultants review it against the room dimensions and the interior scheme; the contractor reviews it against the programme and the trade sequence; the client reviews it against the approved look. When one of those three finds a gap, work stops.

For shelving-led wardrobes, most gaps come from the same handful of places: shelf heights that were never reconciled with the garments they are meant to hold, finishes named in a mood board but never specified on a drawing, and dimensions taken off a plan rather than verified on site. A complete submittal forces all of those to be settled before production starts.

Item 1: Verified dimensions and the setting they were taken in

Our modular wardrobe ranges are made-to-measure, so the submittal should carry the room dimensions the unit was designed for, not a nominal catalogue size. State width, height and depth for every run, and show how each run sits relative to skirting, cornices, doors, light switches, air-conditioning grilles and any raking ceiling.

• Floor-to-ceiling height at more than one point in the room, so out-of-level floors are visible on the drawing rather than discovered during installation.
• Clearance allowances for skirting boards, architraves and finished wall build-ups.
• Position of doors and drawers through their full swing or pull-out arc, checked against beds, vanities and the room door.
• Note on which party is responsible for final site verification, and at what stage it happens.

We ask that dimensions and selected specifications be confirmed for each project before release to production. That confirmation should be recorded in the submittal sign-off sheet, with a name and a date.

Item 2: The shelf grid, expressed as an internal layout drawing

An elevation of the outside face tells you the wardrobe looks right. It does not tell you whether the shelves work. Include a dimensioned internal layout for every bay: shelf positions, clear opening heights, span widths and which shelves are fixed and which are adjustable.

Work the grid backwards from how the space will be used. Folded linen and towels need shallow bays; knitwear and jumpers need deeper ones; a shelf above a hanging rail needs enough clear height for the longest garment plus the hanger. Adjustable shelving gives the client flexibility later, but every adjustable bay also needs to show the pitch of the supports and whether the top shelf is fixed.

Where one project mixes storage strategies, say so plainly on the drawings. A bedroom that uses a shelf-heavy run next to a Drawer Focused Modular Wardrobes section and a Hanging Modular Wardrobes section should be shown as one coordinated elevation, with each bay identified, rather than three separate product sheets that never quite line up on site.

Item 3: Materials and finishes, named the way production will read them

Marketing names are not specifications. The submittal should list the board material for carcass, doors and shelves separately, the surface finish for each, and the edge treatment where edges are visible. Colour references need to be unambiguous: a manufacturer code, a RAL or paint reference, or an approved physical sample with a reference number.

Our wardrobe collection is offered with material and finish options that can be specified per project, so the submittal should record what was selected for this particular job and attach the evidence:

• Sample or swatch reference for every visible surface, including interior shelf faces if they are exposed when doors are open.
• Door style detail — flat panel, hinged, sliding, glass, mirror or handleless — with the hardware schedule attached.
• Edge banding and joint treatment on visible carcass ends.
• Lighting provisions where shelves are lit: fitting type, cable route and access to the driver.

Where a project specifies a finish we have not supplied before, raise it at submittal stage. Our custom and OEM service covers bespoke finishes, textures and detailing, but a non-standard finish needs lead time and an approved sample in the file before production is scheduled.

Item 4: Interfaces with other trades

Built-in wardrobes sit at the junction of several trades, and a submittal that ignores those junctions is the reason for most snags. Show how the unit meets the floor, the ceiling, the adjacent wall finish and any adjoining joinery. If the wardrobe is part of a wider fit-out that also includes kitchen cabinetry, vanities or media walls, state who owns the interface detail.

Item 5: Packaging, delivery and the install sequence

For projects outside China, the submittal should also cover how the joinery arrives and who puts it up. Our scope runs from design and production through door-to-door delivery, installation and after-sales support, so the same file can carry the logistics plan alongside the technical drawings.

• Packaging schedule: panel sets per room, marked with the bay references used on the layout drawings.
• Delivery terms and the named receiving party at site, agreed before despatch.
• Storage requirements on site — joinery should stay in its wrapping until wet trades have finished.
• Installation sequence and access: lift dimensions, corridor widths, and whether the unit is assembled in the room or brought in pre-built.
• Snag list process and the handover record the client signs.

Import terms, duties and transit arrangements differ by destination and change over time. We confirm them case by case for each project rather than assuming a single set of conditions applies to every shipment.

Item 6: The sign-off sheet

Close the package with a one-page review sheet listing every drawing, sample reference and schedule included, with revision numbers and dates. Leave space for comments and for the approver's signature. That page is what protects both sides when someone asks, three months later, why a shelf ended up where it did.